Watch: Sending a Hyena to Dinner in Animated Short ‘The Debutante’
by Alex Billington
May 1, 2024
Source: Vimeo
“I would never have done it, if I hadn’t hated dances so much.” Another whimsical short from animation filmmaker Elizabeth Hobbs, better known as Lizzy Hobbs (she also made the short film I’m OK a few years ago). Her latest is titled The Debutante, a 9-minute animated short telling an amusing story of a woman in the 1930s. This short premiered at film festivals back in 2022 and has been tour the fest circuit ever since, finally getting an online debut this week thanks to Vimeo. A spirited young woman persuades a hyena from London Zoo to take her place at a dreaded dinner dance being held in her honour… The Debutante is based on a short story written by the artist Leonora Carrington, who was presented at the court of King George V then became a debutante in 1936. It’s animated with ink & paint on paper, with some collage & cut-out, captured under a rostrum camera. With the voices of Joanna David, Alexa Davies, & Naomi Stafford.
Thanks to Vimeo Staff Picks for premiering this new short online. Full intro from Vimeo: “A spirited young woman persuades a hyena from London Zoo to take her place at a dinner dance held in her honour. Their plan requires a surprising amount of artistry and violence.” The Debutante is a animated short film written and directed by animation filmmaker Elizabeth Hobbs (aka “Lizzy” Hobbs) based in London – you can see more of her work on Vimeo or on her website. (We also featured her short film I’m OK in 2019.) Based on a story by artist Leonora Carrington. It’s produced by Animate Projects, with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, and with thanks to the Estate of Leonora Carrington. The film is edited by Mark Jenkins, with sound design and music from Hutch Demouilpied. For more info, visit Vimeo or stop by Lizzy’s site. There’s also a Director’s Commentary embedded in the video. To watch more shorts, click here.